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15 July 2009

Volume 200, Number 2
The Journal of Infectious Diseases 2009;200:227–235
© 2009 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.
0022-1899/2009/20002-0010$15.00
MAJOR ARTICLE

Mother‐to‐Child Transmission of GB Virus C in a Cohort of Women Coinfected with GB Virus C and HIV in Bangkok, Thailand

W. Bhanich Supapol,1

R. S. Remis,1

J. Raboud,1,3

M. Millson,1

J. Tappero,4

R. Kaul,2,3

P. Kulkarni,8

M. S. McConnell,4

P. A. Mock,5

J. M. McNicholl,8

N. Vanprapar,6

S. Asavapiriyanont,7

N. Shaffer,4,9 and

S. Butera8

1Dalla Lana School of Public Health and 2Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and 3University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 4Global AIDS Program, 5Thailand Ministry of Public Health–US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Collaboration, Nonthaburi, 6Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, and 7Department of Medical Services, Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand; and 8Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, and 9Global AIDS Program, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia

Background.GB virus C (GBV‐C) is an apathogenic virus that inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication in vitro. Mother‐to‐child transmission (MTCT) of GBV‐C has been observed in multiple small studies. Our study examined the rate and correlates of MTCT of GBV‐C in a large cohort of GBV‐C–HIV‐coinfected pregnant women in Thailand.

Methods.Maternal delivery plasma specimens from 245 GBV‐C–HIV‐infected women and specimens from their infants at 4 or 6 months of age were tested for GBV‐C RNA. Associations with MTCT of GBV‐C were examined using logistic regression.

Results.One hundred one (41%) of 245 infants acquired GBV‐C infection. MTCT of GBV‐C was independently associated with maternal antiretroviral therapy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 5.21 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.12–12.81]), infant HIV infection (AOR, 0.05 [95% CI, 0.01–0.26]), maternal GBV‐C load (8.0 log10 copies/mL: AOR, 86.77 [95% CI, 15.27–481.70]; 7.0–7.9 log10 copies/mL: AOR, 45.62 [95% CI, 8.41–247.51]; 5.0–6.9 log10 copies/mL: AOR, 9.07 [95% CI, 1.85–44.33]: reference, <5 log10 viral copies/mL), and caesarean delivery (AOR, 0.26 [95% CI, 0.12–0.59]).

Conclusions.Associations with maternal GBV‐C load and mode of delivery suggest transmission during pregnancy and delivery. Despite mode of delivery being a common risk factor for virus transmission, GBV‐C and HIV were rarely cotransmitted. The mechanisms by which maternal receipt of antiretroviral therapy might increase MTCT of GBV‐C are unknown.

Received 1 October 2008; accepted 2 February 2009; electronically published 9 June 2009.

Reprints or correspondence: Dr. Wendy Bhanich Supapol, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3M7 ().

  • Potential conflicts of interest: none reported.

    Financial support: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (HHP 64515), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (5 R21 AI060538), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Ontario HIV Treatment Network (studentship award, to W.B.S., and scientist support, to J.R. and M.M.).

  • The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  • Presented in part: XVI International AIDS Conference, Toronto, Canada, 13–18 August 2006 (abstract MOPE0410).

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